Worksop Town 0 v Alfreton Town 2 - WVH NMU19L (North)

Thursday 25th January 2018
WVH North Midland U19 League (North)
at Sandy Lane
Worksop Town (0) 0
Alfreton Town  (2) 2
Harry Jackson 9
Kieron Hinchley 36
Admission £2 inc. programme
Attendance 77

Worksop Town lost their unbeaten record, along with their discipline at times (I lost count of the yellow cards), on a night when a very impressive looking Alfreton Town side, deservedly claimed all three points at Sandy Lane.

The Reds win saw them move up the table into fourth, eight points behind tonight's hosts and runaway leaders, but with three games in hand.
The Tigers could've been ahead inside the opening five minutes when Alex Boyd powered a header just over the bar from Luke Black's right wing corner, but as the first half progressed, the visitors grew in stature and I would imagine that the Worksop management would've been glad to hear the half time whistle so they could regroup and reorganise their side.
The visitors opened the scoring on nine minutes, after Morgan Brough had been fouled by the Worksop captain Blythe Blake just outside the area and with Brough providing a foil with a dummy run, Harry Jackson struck  the resulting free kick just inside the right hand post, leaving Callum Fielding rooted to his line.

The visitors thwarted several attempts by Worksop to pick up some momentum, with a five man midfield strung across the pitch, with Jackson impressing as he anticipated and intercepted a number of balls towards Luke Black out on the right before they had even reached their intended recipient.
Jack Holden cleared the crossbar from twenty yards after Black's flag kick had only been half cleared to him, but it was the visitors who were in the ascendancy, with Kieran Larder having to be alert to the threat of Harvey Grice on the left flank for Alfreton, while Jack Holden and Luke Smith continued to probe for openings at the heart of the Tigers defence.
Blake was booked for upending Holden right on the edge of the area, while Smith's free kick flew inches past the upright from a deflection. Moments later, Blake conceded another free kick for fouling Holden again and Jackson fired over after Grice had knocked a short free kick into his path.
Larder offered his defence some respite, launching a long ball for Smith to chase, but Jack Weatherer, the Reds skipper, had spotted the danger early and moved across quickly to make a clearance, Holden picked up the ball and at the visitors through the right channel, but his diagonal shot cleared the left hand upright.

Alfreton went on the attack again and the ball broke to Kieran Hinchley on the edge of the crowded Tigers area, who had found himself a yard of space and picked his spot with a delightful curling shot that nestled in the bottom right hand corner of the net to double the visitors lead.
Worksop substituted Blake who had been attracting the attention of the referee far too much since going into the book and as he left the pitch, obviously unhappy with the sensible precaution that was being taken, he nonchalantly threw his armband to the ground in a display of petulance.
Personally, I hope he got sent to bed without any supper for his tantrum.
Fielding got down to hold Liam Harrison's shot just before the break as Alfreton continued to up the ante and comfortably knock the ball around at will.

Worksop Town team

At half time, the tigers management rang the changes, making a double substitution, which nearly paid off straight away, with one of the newly introduced players, Harry Dunbar heading over from close range in the opening minute of the second half.
Black made a run deep into Alfreton territory but was met by Weatherer, who cleared the ball into the night sky in an uncompromising manner.
The Tigers definitely looked more organised after the break, but Harrison still found the space to make a lengthy run forward before laying the ball off sideways to Ellis Evans whose shot struck Fielding on the shoulder and stayed out of the goal... I guess you could call that a save then, at a push.
Grice then tested Fielding in spite of the close attentions of two defenders, but the Worksop keeper held onto his effort from twelve yards... shortly before smothering the ball bravely at the feet of Smith.
Weatherer had a Peter Kay 'ave it!' moment and launched a long ball for Smith to chase after but Fielding reached it first. And Smith was involved again as Hinchley released him on the right hand side of the area with a great knock forward, but his intended lob over the advancing Tigers keeper also cleared the crossbar.

Alfreton Town team

The mark of a good keeper is pulling off a decent save after a period of inactivity, step forward and milk the applause: Matt Hill, who acrobatically pulled off a great stop from Christian Beaumont's well  struck effort from fifteen yards out.
Harrison played Evans in on Fielding's goal but he rolled the ball narrowly wide of the post and Josh Pearson headed against the top of the bar as Alfreton finished the game with a flourish.
Boyd managed to connect with the ball as Smith shot in stoppage time and the ball ran harmlessly to Fielding and right at death, having done the hard part of muscling his way into a shooting position,  Evans pulled his angled shot across the face of the goal and wide of the left hand upright.
FT: Worksop Town U19 0 v Alfreton Town U19 2
Worksop were beaten fairly and squarely by the better side on the night and if truth be told, the final winning margin did not flatter the visitors one bit, in fact it probably flattered the Tigers if anything.
Both teams are both back in action next Thursday in the League Cup, when Afreton entertain Espial at the Impact Arena and Worksop make the short journey to Swallownest.
For all WVH NMU19L (North) forthcoming fixtures, click HERE